


Necrophoros

by Angel_Bazethiel



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Kane Chronicles - Rick Riordan
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Ancient Egyptian Literature & Mythology, Gen, Not Canon Compliant - The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus), Not Canon Compliant - The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus), Not Canon Compliant - The Trials of Apollo, Post-Gaea & The Second Giant War (Percy Jackson), Post-The Serpent's Shadow, There will be other characters just that those three are the main ones, around two years after both wars to give the children some breathing period
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:21:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22261759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_Bazethiel/pseuds/Angel_Bazethiel
Summary: Nico di Angelo just wants to remember who he is and to come home.Sadie Kane just wants to be taken seriously and to do right by her House.Carter Kane just wants to have a quiet evening for once and to finally rest and sleep.
Relationships: Carter Kane & Sadie Kane, Nico di Angelo & Carter Kane, Nico di Angelo & Sadie Kane
Comments: 44
Kudos: 137





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! My sis and I started this before the release of HoH (that's why there's a HoH and BoO Non-compliant tag) and then we abandoned it LMAO. Now I'm continuing it. Most of HoH happened except for the ending and BoO is changed completely. Everything will be revealed later.

Nico is in a place without light.

He doesn’t know where he is but it’s so dark that he can’t even look at his hands. It’s cold and empty, and he’d walk for hours on end. He’d reach out to the endless nothingness and scream for help until his throat is sore.

He doesn’t know how many days pass. Hunger and thirst should kill him but for some reason, it doesn’t. Eventually, he tires and lies down. He closes his eyes and waits for the shadows to consume him.

The floor beneath him disappears. Unseen tendrils keep him from falling, gripping him tightly.

A voice rattles his whole being, _AWAKE!_

\--

Nico opens his eyes and quickly closes them again. White spots dance on his eyelids. He stays as he is, boiling under the heat of the sun. He pushes his fist against his chest as if to muffle his drumming heart.

“Hey, are you okay?” someone asks.

The stranger places a hand on his shoulder and he recoils violently. “Don’t touch me,” he spits.

Nico stands up too fast and his view spins. He bats the stranger away when they to try to help him. With unsteady steps, he runs. A few other people bump into him, but he doesn’t care.

He doesn’t rest until he’s gone far. He reaches a stone beach and catches his breath. He’s in a park, he notices. A park by a river. And a nagging feeling makes him follow the river upstream.

He looks around and nothing is familiar. He doesn’t remember how he got there. He doesn’t remember _why_ he is there.

However, he doesn’t get to mull over more about it as someone screams, “Rabid raccoons!”

Everyone starts running away from something behind him. He turns and expects to see said rabid animals. Instead, he sees wild, raging red baboons. And by red, Nico doesn’t just mean red faces and bottoms. Their fur is as red as the rest of their body, and their eyes have the color of fresh blood. They’re twice the size they should be and their fangs are horrendous.

They snarl at Nico and run towards him. Despite his protesting legs, he also runs. He wishes to get away as fast as he can and, _of course_ , that’s when he trips.

Only, he doesn’t hit the ground. He falls _into shadow_ and then he reemerges somewhere behind the baboons. They stop, seemingly as surprised and confused as Nico feels.

“What the—” he can’t help but blurt out. The baboons hear him and advance to him again.

Whatever he just did made him more tired and dizzy, so there’s nothing he could do when the first baboon tackles him.

Fear and panic blooms in his chest. Desperately, he reaches for something – _anything_ – to use as a weapon against the animal on him. When he touches something cold that fits right into his palm, he bashes the baboon with it. This gives him enough time to scramble away from under the baboon.

 _It_ turns out to be a hilt of a three-foot-long black sword. Nico’s sure that there wasn’t any sword near him before, but _whatever._ He blindly waves it in front of him and the baboons step back. One makes the mistake of being too near and, without a second thought, Nico stabs it.

He doesn’t expect it to explode as sand and some of it gets into his eyes and mouth. He lets go of the sword and becomes busy sputtering and wiping it all off. If anyone attacked him, he’d be dead. Fortunately, that scared the others away.

“What the fuck?” Nico says, still patting the lingering dust.

 _They were Babi’s baboons_ , a voice supplies. Nico startles and whips around to find the owner of the voice. There is no one else left on the beach.

“What the fuck?” he whispers to himself.

_Not a very good conversationalist, are you?_

Nico looks around once more and when he still found no one, he pinches the bridge of his nose. “I’m hallucinating. I’m hungry. And tired. And now I’m hallucinating.”

_I’m really here, you know._

“Yeah. In my head, because you’re a hallucination.”

_If I were a hallucination, then how can I possibly know that they were Babi’s baboons?_

“Because that’s a made-up term that _my brain_ came up with! Fuck. And now I’m screaming at myself.” 

_Babi is the Egyptian god of Baboons_.

 _Of course, it is_ , Nico thinks. “…I’m too tired for this.”

 _I’m real_ , the voice insists.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Talk to me again after I take a nap.”

_But we’re close. You can rest when we’re safe._

“Er,” Nico shifts his weight between his feet, a bit off-put by the hallucination. “Close to where exactly?”

The voice doesn’t say anything. Nico lets out a frustrated groan and throws his hands up. “Whatever.”

He’s already dead on his feet anyway. He doesn’t need some disembodied voice to boss him around.

Nico bends over to grab the sword he used. Something tells him that the baboons are the least of his worries. However, the sword is nowhere to be found.

He folds his hands and brings the sides to his lips. He breathes in and out. He thinks, _Did I also hallucinate the sword? Were those baboons real? Am I dreaming?_

No matter. The pain and fatigue he feels are real enough. He looks for a place to lie down, somewhere where no one would bother him. He finds a small nook behind a building by a dumpster. Well, beggars can’t be choosers. He settles down and sleeps.

\--

He dreams of cinnamon hair and golden eyes. He hears someone begging him, “Don’t!”

 _Don’t what?_ He wants to ask, but the shadows close in and he can’t breathe, can’t speak, and can’t see.

\--  
  


Someone shakes Nico awake.

“Hey, kid. You can’t sleep here,” that someone says.

It’s the early hours of the next day, based on the greys and pinks on the sky. His head pounds as he sits up.

“Is there anyone I could call, or…?” the stranger asks.

 _Stand up,_ the voice from before says. That fully wakes Nico up. _We don’t have time for this._

“N-no. It’s okay, ma’am,” he says. “I’ll just be on my way.”

The woman purses her lips. “Wait here.”

“But—” Nico protests, but she’s already inside the building.

_We have to leave._

“Why are you so impatient?” Nico asks the voice. There’s no use to deny its existence. He’s had his rest and the voice is still there.

_Because it’s not safe out here._

“Do you think I don’t know that?”

_And that’s why we have to reach the Nome House soon._

“The what now?”

 _How much has the world changed?_ The voice says in a way that couldn’t have been directed to him. Then it answers. _Nome means region. This place has a high concentration of magic and I’m sure that the Per Ankh has claimed it._

“Magic?” Because, well, even after the baboon turning to sand and the curious case of the disappearing sword, Nico is still having a hard time believing in magic. “…Per Ankh?”

The woman comes back out. “Were you just talking to someone?”

“No,” he quickly says.

The blatant lie doesn’t faze her and she hands out a brown paper bag. “Here’s some food. Now, I’m not going to pry and ask why you ran away, but I have to say you can’t go on sleeping on parks. There are homeless shelters around the city. Just follow the river downstream to the nearest one.”

Nico doesn’t bother to correct her assumption and thanks her.

When he’s alone again, the voice says, _We have to continue northeast._

“Why should I trust you?”

_Because I’m your best bet on surviving._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm following the [ _God speak_ ; "Host speak"] format that TKC has. I hope the italics are okay.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're like me who doesn't remember all the spells from TKC, hover on a spell to know it's meaning (it doesn't work on mobile though :<). Enjoy!

It’s more than an hour's walk to wherever the voice is taking him and it’s been silent throughout, save for when it directs him where to go.

Nico learns that the river he’s following is the East River and he’s on the east-side bank. Brooklyn, he thinks – he _knows_. And on the other side is Manhattan. Periodically, his gaze would go westward and his eyes would land on the Empire State Building. A thought – or perhaps a memory – burns on the back of his eyes and he’d look away.

He shakes his head clear and asks the voice, “How much further?”

_We’re almost there._

He passes under the Williamsburg Bridge and into an industrial yard. He's going to ask where it’s been for the past hour when an ear-splitting screech pierces through the air.

 _Summon your sword_ , the voice commands. _Quickly._

“How do I—?”

_Just reach into the shadows and call for your sword._

Nico does that and hopes that it works. His hand vanishes in the air, but he can still feel and move it. For a moment, he touches nothing. Then his hand closes around a hard leather grip. He pulls out a sword that radiates coldness and fear.

He looks up to find the source of the sound. Now that he’s rested and eaten, he becomes aware of how his body automatically resumes a battle stance as if he had done so many times before.

“What was that? More baboons?” he asks the voice.

_I have a feeling that it’s something worse._

There comes another screech. This time it’s more distinct, high-pitched like a call of an eagle.

 _Or a falcon_ , the voice supplies as a peregrine the size of a small car lands in front of him. Its eyes, instead of beady black, have two colors: gold and silver. Its glare makes them more menacing.

And to add to the bird’s oddity, it speaks. “You are not welcome here.”

“Who are you?” Nico asks.

The giant bird spreads its wings, spanning almost three times longer than its body. “That is not of your concern, boy.”

It lifts off to the air and flies in circles above him. “Normally I would take whatever Babi is babbling about with a grain of salt, but when he told me that one of his pets got killed by one of your kind, I had to make sure. You being here is a violation of the Agreement.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Nico points out. “You won’t even tell me who you are.”

Instead of answering, the bird shoots down. In the last second before impact, it takes its talons out and digs them on his left shoulder.

Nico instinctively swipes at the bird and misses. His grip on his sword slackens, so he transfers it to his right hand. He strikes again, but the bird is without his reach.

He almost loses his footing, which prompted an _Easy there._ from the voice. Nico steadies himself.

 _Save your strength_ , it continues. _You can’t kill him no matter how hard you try._

 _You wanna bet?_ Nico thinks.

_He’s a god. Be wary of his attacks and defend yourself, but you must focus on getting to the House just a few feet away._

Nico looks around and sees only heaps of trash and the bird still on the air. “What house?” he hisses.

Before the voice could answer, the bird glides low. Nico readies himself but it doesn’t attack again. “This is your only warning, son of death,” it says. “Leave or face my children.”

It lets out one final call and flies away.

He watches it grow smaller against the sky, but he hears new flapping wings growing closer. Nico turns around and sees a large animal. Its lower half is the body of a lion and the upper half is the body of an eagle. Following it is a cast of normal-sized falcons.

They block out the sun as they fly overhead. They stay mid-air in front of an abandoned warehouse.

 _Look up_ , the voice says.

And Nico does. On top of the warehouse is a five-story mansion. From where he’s standing, he sees that its walls are made up of limestone and it has long steel-framed windows. Even without the voice’s confirmation, Nico is sure that’s where he needs to go.

He takes a step towards it and the lion-bird and its accompanying flock swoop toward him.

\--

Slash, block, then parry. Nico does that over and over again for who knows how long. The birds come endlessly as if whenever he kills one, ten more take its place.

His shoulder wound is throbbing and his arms are growing heavy when the voice speaks again. _I can teach you a spell to aid you._

Without waiting for Nico’s reply, a series of symbols flash on his eyelids. A sense of burning rises deep within him. Arms outstretched, he lets out a guttural scream, “ _A’max_.”

Golden symbols emerge from his chest. A wall of fire surrounds him and it grows radially outward. This burns most of the falcons but the lion-bird evades just in time.

 _Griffin_ , the voice informs him. _Please stop referring to it as a lion-bird_.

“ _Fine_.”

The birds regroup and it gives him a moment of respite. He leans on his sword and catches his breath.

_I forgot how frail humans are and how much a Divine Word tires you._

“What do you mean by that?”

 _Later,_ the voice insists. _When we’re already at the House. So, if you could please hurry up?_

He sighs and picks himself up. He runs as fast as he can to the mansion.

The griffin blocks his path and tackles him. Winded and disoriented, Nico manages to raise his sword and trap it in its beak. He pushes against the griffin as it tries to crush him.

“ _Tas_ ,” he hears someone yell. Ropes wrap around the griffin’s neck. It wails and flails wildly and gets off of Nico. The ropes grow longer to completely bind it.

Nico sits up and sees a girl about his age. She has caramel blonde hair that’s streaked with blue that matches her eyes. She holds a white staff and a small piece of bent wood. She scans over his battered body. Then she looks at the remaining falcons.

“ _Heh-sieh_ ,” she says and the birds fly away.

She turns to him again. She drops her staff and it vanishes when it hits the concrete. She holds out her hand to him and he wordlessly takes it.

She’s about her height, he notices. Nico’s going to say thank you when she moves past him and to the griffin.

“ _Ha-tep_ ,” she whispers. The griffin stops its thrashing and the ropes unravel. When it’s free, the girl says, “ _Zeheb._”

The griffin lifts to the air and leaves. She watches it as he watches the girl.

“Come on,” she says, still not looking at him. “We have to take a look at your shoulder.”

They walk to the mansion. In the quiet, Nico thinks that maybe he will finally have his answers.

 _Be careful what you say to her,_ the voice warns him. _Be careful of what you ask_.

 _Do you think we can’t trust her?_ Nico asks the voice without speaking aloud.

_I didn’t say that. Just practice caution._

“I’m Sadie, by the way,” the girl says, breaking the silence.

She offers her hand and he shakes it. “Nico. Nico di Angelo.”

“So Nico di Angelo, what did you do to piss off Horus?”

“Horus?”

She smirks, “Yeah. Pretty ballsy of you I should say, pissing off the King of the Gods. Although, I suppose Horus is easily offended anyway.”

They’re now at the foot of the stairs leading to the mansion. Nico thinks of the voice’s advice. He already knows too little to keep them all a secret. He may not remember much, but he knows how the world works. Information is exchanged for information. Trust is given for trust to be earned.

“To be honest, I don’t know.” They’re halfway up when Nico finally speaks. “I just woke up with no memories and a—” he clears his throat, “—feeling that I should go here.”

Still, he decides that he should keep the voice a secret. At least, for now.

Sadie raises a brow. “Really? That’s highly unusual. You never saw the orientation kit?”

“…No?”

“So you don’t know who I am and where you are?”

Nico shakes his head.

“So for all I know, you could be a normal mortal!”

“Er…” Nico doesn’t know how to respond to that.

“Well, you _did_ see that griffin and the House, so glamour doesn’t work on you. Also, you have that sword,” she points at the said sword that he’s forgotten he’s holding. “But it doesn’t look Egyptian. Where did you get that?”

“I, uhm… I found it.”

“Of course, you did.” She narrows her eyes. They’re on top of the stairs now. They stand before a dark, heavy square of timber with no visible handle or lock.

“There is one way to know if you’re really one of us,” she says, gesturing at the door.

“What? Do you want me to open it?”

She shrugs, “New kids like you make their way to us and open it on their own, too.”

“But I don’t know any magic, yet.” Except for that fire spell. But he doesn’t want to explain just yet how he knows it.

“Just go with your gut.”

With no other choice, Nico raises his hand and lies his palm flat on the door’s center. Cracks start to appear from where his hand rests until they cover the whole door. Then it breaks into a million tiny pieces.

“Uh—”

Sadie laughs. “Bloody hell. That’s that then.”

She enters and Nico moves to follow but he feels a light pressure preventing him from doing so.

“What? Oh, don’t worry about the door. Others have destroyed it several times. Not as much as you did, but it's replaceable.” She must have mistaken his inability to move as hesitance. “You’re welcome here.”

Her reassurance takes away the unseen force and he enters. He momentarily forgets that odd phenomenon as he takes in the cedar ceiling that’s being held by stone pillars with symbols engraved on them. On the center of the room stands a black marble statue of a man with the head of an ibis.

“Welcome to the Brooklyn House.”


	3. Chapter 3

The Brooklyn House is quiet. Nico has thought that a mansion this size would be filled by other magicians like Sadie.

“The kids are on their school field trip,” Sadie says as if reading his thoughts. “We can’t have them slacking off on their mortal education now, can we? What kind of a House Leader would I be, then?”

“Did you just—?” Nico cuts himself off. Unsure now if he should have been completely honest with her when she could read his thoughts anyway.

“Goodness, no. I love privacy, thanks very much. Others’ and mine. I just didn’t want you to think that my House is lame.” She clicks her tongue and winks at him. Then she leads him up to the second floor.

“Oh,” he replies. “For the record, I don’t think it’s lame. Quite the opposite actually. How many others are there?”

“As of today, we have twenty-three initiates,” she says with pride. “Only fifteen actually live here though. Well, sixteen now I guess. Assuming you’re staying, too.”

“M-me?”

“Don’t sound so surprised.” She rolls her eyes. “You’re one of us. You’ve proved that just moments ago.”

“O-oh. Uhm, what exactly do you mean by ‘one of us?’”

They stop in front of a set of double doors with an engraving of a snarling lion.

“Right. You haven’t gotten the kit.” They enter the room and she makes him sit on one of the cots inside. “Well, Nico di Angelo, you are a descendant of a pharaoh. And, yes, I do mean the Ancient Egyptian king.”

They’re in an infirmary, he notices. The room is filled with floating candles – vanilla-scented, he notes. By the labeled cabinets, stands a fountain with a life-size statue of a woman with a lion’s head. There are two rows of hospital beds like the one he’s sitting on. On the sides of each is a table with a candlestick.

Nico thinks it’s a bit old-fashioned of them to still use candles as a source of light. But he sees the candle by his bed is lit up with blue flame.

“Good news is you’re not dying. Just very tired,” she says while looking at the candle. She goes to the cabinets and takes out some first aid supplies. “The bad news is that I’m not Jaz. I’m not that good with healing magic. So normal bandages will have to do. I hope you’re okay with that.”

Without thinking much about it, Nico takes off his tattered shirt. “Is Jaz one of the initiates?” he asks.

“Yeah,” she answers as she starts cleaning his shoulder wound. “All the initiates here have the blood of pharaohs, which makes us powerful magicians. We can also channel the power of gods or sometimes be their host so they can walk in this realm. Jaz follows the Path of Sekhmet,” she nods at the statue on the corner, “the goddess of healing. She’s the best healer we have.”

A host to gods? _Huh_ , Nico thinks. _I wonder… No. I’ll have a full conversation with it first before confiding with Sadie._ Instead, he asks, “How about you? Whose path do you follow?”

“Isis, goddess of… a lot of things.”

“Woah.”

“Yeah. Goddess of magic is her main role, I think.” She shrugs and gets the needle and thread. “I’ll give you the recordings from the orientation kit so you’ll find out more. You can start training once you’re fully healed. And then we can find you your path.”

Nico doesn’t even realize she’s done sewing his wound close until she dresses it. She then cleans his other scratches. Once she’s finished, she hands him a fresh new shirt.

“Do you really have no memory of your past?” Sadie asks.

When he shakes his head, she continues, “You have a lot of scars for someone your age. And you didn’t even flinch while I was sewing you up.”

“Maybe I have high pain tolerance?” Nico says.

“Perhaps.” She clears out the bedside table and returns the supplies. “If you want, you can come with me when I see my brother sometime this week.”

“Er,” Nico doesn’t know why her brother is suddenly mentioned without context. “Um?”

Realizing this, she quickly explains. “The Brooklyn House is part of a much larger organization called the House of Life. There are three hundred and sixty regions – called Nomes – under the supervision of the House. Brooklyn is the twenty-first Nome. Egypt is, of course, the first. That’s where my brother is right now. And while the Brooklyn House is well equipped, nothing beats the magic hub. Maybe we can find something there that we can use to learn more about your past.”

Nico stares at her. For all the warnings that the voice has given him, she actually seems like a nice person.

“You’d help me? Even when you’ve only just met me?”

Sadie widens her eyes, off-put by the shock in Nico’s voice. Her face settles in a small smile, it must be the most welcoming yet that she has given him.

“Of course. You’re part of the Brooklyn House now. What kind of a House Leader would I be if I won’t?” She smirks. “But first, I want you to rest. I’ll show you to your room.”

\--

Sadie leaves him on his own after that. He stays in his room, too tired to explore the new place he unexpectedly found himself.

The room is quaint. Well, it looks more like a European hotel room. Nico doesn’t have any personal belongings to make it livelier, but he hopes he can make it his home.

_You can’t let your guard down just yet_. The voice is back.

“You told me that we’re safe here,” he reminds it.

_We’re safe here from demons and antagonistic gods like Horus. The House of Life is a whole other matter._

“Is there something wrong with the House?”

_I’m not sure how much the world has changed but… I’ve been burned before._

“By the House?”

_The House has never been kind to their gods. Magicians have always been ungrateful and spiteful._

He thinks of Sadie and her immediate willingness to help him even though she barely knows him. It doesn’t seem to match the voice’s words. But there is too much certainty in its statement that Nico doesn’t question it. Instead, “Is that what you are? A god?”

When it doesn’t answer, he insists, “Come on. How can I listen to a word you say when I don’t even know a thing about you?”

It doesn’t answer for a while, but it does. _Yes_.

“A god of?”

 _I don’t remember_.

“What?” It can’t be serious, can it?

_I remember bits and pieces of my past. I know to be cautious of the House. I know that some gods wouldn’t want me around. But I can’t remember the specifics. Who I am, why I am here. Why I’m with you._

“So you’re just like me?” And Nico can certainly understand how frustrating that feels. “Do you know your name, then? I can’t keep calling you ‘the voice.’”

 _You may call me K._ It pauses for a bit and then, _Names have power, you know. A given name isn’t as powerful as a secret name but it still has power. You shouldn’t give yours willy-nilly._

“But you know my name!”

_That was your mistake._

“So you don’t trust me?”

_I do. But as I said, names have power. I’d rather keep mine to myself. I’m sure you’d do the same if you had known better._

Nico considers this and decides it true, so he lets it go. He opens another topic, “Do you remember the place with no light? Or was that just a dream?”

 _I don’t know. But we will get to the bottom of this._ K promises. _The House may not be trustworthy. And I’m sure the reason your magician friend is too keen to help is that she’s also curious about you and wants to know if you can be useful._

“Geez, you make Sadie sound like she’s evil.”

_We don’t have the luxury to be lax, child. No matter. Whatever her motivations are, we can use her to get our memories back._

That thought makes Nico uncomfortable.

 _If the House is planning to use us, we can turn it around and use them instead_.

“We still have to give them the benefit of doubt. Even if what you think of them is true and we stoop to their level, then we’re no better than them.”

_Perhaps. But you have to admit that that’s the best path to take._

After that, K becomes quiet. Nico washes his hair, mindful of his bandages, and then plops down to the bed. He pushes away the weird ivory headrest to the side and sinks into the soft pillows and covers.

\--

Nico dreams he’s back to the place of shadows. There are flashes of glittering green scales even though there’s no light to reflect. This could mean that the light comes from within whatever the entity is in the unknown. And its scales make the light shine harshly and imposingly.

“Remember your promise, brother,” a voice says, deep and rumbling. Seven pairs of glowing yellow eyes surround him. A smooth and cold hand touches his face, almost lovingly and sweet.

“We’ll be waiting for you.”

\--

Nico is slow to rise later. He wades to consciousness as if through hardening concrete. A knock sounds at the door when he's almost fully awake.

“Nico?” Sadie calls from outside. “Dinner’s ready. Come meet the other initiates.”

He sits up and looks at his hands. They seem to flicker and Nico tries to close them but he can’t. Before panic rises, another pair of hands grab his arms. He tries to jump away but the hands push him down, locking him in place.

“I know, I know,” Sadie says, she must have gone in when he didn’t answer. “But I have to ground you unless you want to get lost.”

Nico’s hands start to get more solid by her firm grip. It’s only when he can finally feel them again did Sadie releases him.

“I forgot to tell you that you have to sleep on the bone pillow,” she says. “Y-you could have gotten stuck in the Duat.”

He wants to say something that would reassure her. Maybe say that it’s fine, he’s fine. But he knows she’d see through the lie and would only make her feel worse. So instead, he asks, “Duat?”

“Yeah. It’s, ah, the spirit world. You can navigate it by a lot of means, dreaming is one of them. The bone pillow—” she points at the ivory headrest on the side “—keeps you tethered here. Now that you’re more aware of the Egyptian stuff being real, a part of your soul will want to wander around every now and then.”

Nico looks down at his hands again. “So I just went into the Duat?”

“Basically. Usually, it’s more of a surface thing, traveling across the globe by means of the Duat. But you…” She gives him a look that’s equal parts excitement and fear. “You must have gone deeper for you to physically fade away.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“I don’t know yet.”

Sadie looks at him with furrowed brows and calculating eyes, probably trying to figure out what he’s seen. Nico remembers his conversation with K and he changes the topic before she starts figuring him out.

“Y-you said dinner’s ready?”

Her face relaxes and she has that welcoming smile again. Nico feels a bit guilty shutting her off when all she has been is accommodating.

 _You’re entitled to your secrets_ , K says. _Especially when some of them aren’t just yours._

Right. If K thinks that he shouldn’t be too open of what little he remembers, then he won’t be. Nico just hopes that he’s not making a mistake.


	4. Chapter 4

Nico di Angelo is a rather peculiar kid. He couldn’t be that much older than Sadie, but he has taken everything that just happened to him calmly. _Too calmly_ , she thinks.

He doesn’t bat an eye when she tells him about the Egyptian gods. Granted, he must have faced Horus beforehand, if the falcons and griffin were any indication. But even then, he faced them with cold calmness that she only has seen on the faces of soldiers.

Sadie watched Nico fight off the creatures of Horus. He’s handy with his sword, almost as if he had proper training. And he managed to survive for as long as before Sadie reached him.

As if that weren’t enough, the way he turned the House entrance to essentially sawdust drives home the fact that he’s powerful.

“Here are some clothes,” Sadie gives the boy three pairs of cotton pants and some plain shirts. “I know they’re not your style–” she nods at Nico’s black shirt with skull designs and bomber jacket “–but magic doesn’t really mix well with leather. At least they’re comfortable.”

“You’re wearing boots,” he points out.

She shrugs, “I’m special.”

Sadie doesn’t say it out loud, but as he saw the boy do impressive magic in his clothes, she thinks he’s a little bit special too.

She leaves him alone for some time after that. While she lets the boy have his rest, Sadie goes to the scry room to contact Carter. Her brother has been so adamant about meeting him. It’s been quiet the past two years, but her brother is still as paranoid as ever. Small spikes of activity or even just a wind of Setne’s whereabouts would have Carter at his wits’ end.

Recently, there’s been rumors of another brewing apocalypse that has Carter on high alert. Sadie would scoff and roll her eyes at his brother when he gets all so worked up on baseless rumors. Besides, what are the odds of the world ending again so soon? And wasn’t Apophis the biggest bad of all gods already?

Sadie sighs as she bends over a scrying bowl. She mutters an incantation that makes the oil ripple and the image of his brother appears. He’s talking with someone in frantic and low tones and she doesn’t catch whatever they’re discussing.

“Sadie!” A voice says, but it wasn’t her brother’s. She waves her hand over the bowl and the image changes and she sees the room at a different angle.

“Hey, Uncle Amos,” she smiles when she realizes who the other person is. “I hope Carter isn’t stressing you out too much.”

Carter sputters as Amos replies, “Everything is fine Sadie. Your brother just wants to keep everyone safe.”

“But have you heard how ridiculous he’s starting to sound?”

“Sadie,” Carter’s voice sound tired that makes her a little guilty. She takes in the haggard look of her brother. His hair is in disarray and he has heavy bags under his eyes.

She clicks her tongue. “You know you’d look and feel a lot better if you ease a little bit, right?”

Her brother sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “I know. But…” He trails off and Sadie can tell that there’s something else bothering him other than the supposed apocalypse.

She narrows her eyes at him and he just shakes his head.

“Was there a reason you called besides to question my leadership _again_?” He instead says.

Sadie cocks an eyebrow at his avoidance, but she drops it for now. “Well, your highness, you’ve repeatedly summoned me and I’m only answering your most gracious call.”

Carter rolls his eyes but huffs a laugh. “Very good, my loyal servant.” Sadie squawks at that. “Will you be coming tomorrow?”

“Yeah and I’m taking an initiate with me.”

“Oh? You usually don’t bring anyone when you visit. Though I suppose your charges are starting to get tired of you.” He said it jokingly but there’s a strain in his voice. Maybe it isn’t the right time to add more on his brother’s plate, but she wants to help Nico. And she’s admittedly curious about the boy’s past.

“Shut it, you. He’s actually a new one and I want you to meet him. He has memory issues and we should help him.”

Amos beams at her. “That’s very nice of you, Sadie.”

She feels heat up her cheeks. “Just doing my job. Anyways, yeah. I just wanted to give his royal highness a head’s up. The others should be arriving soon so I have to start dinner-prep.”

“Alright. See you tomorrow, Sades.”

She passes a hand over the bowl and releases its magic.

\--

When Nico almost gets lost in the Duat, Sadie starts to think that maybe the rumors aren’t as baseless as she thought they were.

Bad trips in the Duat are not uncommon, demons do have the habit of attacking stray magicians. But getting pulled _deeper_ in it is. Something lurks within the Duat that’s strong enough to reach the surface world. If they don’t do something about it soon then they’re going to have a powerful being on their hands.

For a brief moment, she thinks that Nico shouldn’t come with her but quickly dismisses the thought. They have to learn as much as they can about the boy. He could have some information about the mystery being and that’s why he’s lost his memories.

Or maybe he just hit his head really hard and she’s just making this a bigger deal than it really is. Maybe Carter is rubbing off on her and that’s why she’s seeing shadows everywhere.

Sadie pinches the bridge of her nose in hopes to keep the forming headache away. She finds Nico in the Great Room talking to Jaz. The bruises and scratches he was sporting yesterday have all faded thanks to the healer.

“Hey, you ready to go?” She asks him.

“Uh, yeah,” he seems more hesitant than he was yesterday. After the incident before dinner, he has become quieter, and he wasn’t even talkative, to begin with. He barely spoke last night. And before Sadie interrupted, she notes that it’s Jaz that’s doing all the talking.

He’s more focused and guarded. He has observed everyone and the morning on-goings without much participation. Sadie purses her lips and shakes her head to clear it of any suspicious thoughts about the boy. It’s a normal reaction to a new environment. Hopefully, he’d warm up with them more after their trip.

She gives him a reassuring smile. “Hey, it’s going to be fine. We may be traveling through the Duat but you’re with me.”

Sadie leads him to the roof and she draws the appropriate hieroglyphs to open a portal. They wait for the next auspicious moment – high noon. Nico fiddles with a ring on his finger. She raises an eyebrow when she sees it’s a skull ring with glinting onyx around the band and on the skull’s eye sockets.

_What is up with this boy and skulls?_

For all the fuss, it would be funny if he’s actually just some normal teenage kid in his Goth phase. Maybe he hangs out at cemeteries for fun or something. Kind of like some god of toilet paper. Her mood sours at that. Right. _Not thinking about them_.

She breathes through her nose and the portal opens, to her relief. She grabs Nico and goes through it. They emerge at the Cairo airport with sand covering them from head to toe and up their noses. Nico spits a mouthful and Sadie feels a little guilty. She should have told him to close his mouth.

Another warning she failed to deliver. Whoever said she’s cut out to be responsible for other people, must be having quite a laugh. She may have saved the world once but she’s still just a kid.

 _Ugh._ Okay. _Not thinking about that_.

Sadie opens the door to a long, winding staircase. This is the part she hates the most. The House should just allow people to travel right up to the entrance.

She looks over at Nico and asks if he was okay. When he says he is, she casts a fire spell to light their way and they start to descend.

They reach the bottom and a wide chasm greets them, rows of torches alight along the cave walls. The entrance of the House is on the other side with only a single narrow stone bridge to get across.

Sadie remembers her first time coming to the First Nome. Each Nome has its own challenge for anyone who wishes to enter, to avoid trespassers and normal mortals. The Brooklyn House has its door, and the First Nome has this: a crosswalk over a fifty-foot drop.

She motions Nico to go first with a quick warning to be careful, which he takes as a cue to draw his sword out of thin air. She raises an eyebrow at that. _Who taught him to store things in the Duat?_ He moves forward before she could ask.

A moment passes and nothing has happened. Well, nothing as obvious as flying knives when Carter had his own trial. But Sadie feels the temperature drop and what little light they had has gone.

The only indication she has that Nico is still on the bridge is the faint footfalls echoing. That is until they stop.

A yelp sounds then a thud. A guttural scream pierces the air and the ground shakes. Sadie shoots a streak of fire overhead to get a glimpse of what happened.

Nico is on his front, cracks on the bridge surround him. He’s struggling against some kind of bondage, which Sadie realizes are shadows. She moves to help him, but she sees him grabbed the immaterial bonds and rip them off.

He manages to get up on his knees, but more dark tendrils snake around him. She sees him go slack and the shadows swallow him.

“Nico!” Sadie screams. The torches along the walls light up again, illuminating the crosswalk. She sees Nico emerge from the shadows across. She runs up to him and asks, “Are you alright?”

“Y-yeah,” Nico replies. His face is pale and his breath is shuddering. He rubs his forearms and sways a little.

“Are you really?”

“Yeah,” Nico says again in a much firmer voice. She wants to ask how he did what he just did. She hasn’t met anyone that can touch shadows before, much less someone that controls them. But she knows that she’s just as clueless as she is.

_Just who the hell is this kid?_

A few short breaths later, Nico stands straight again. Sadie nods at him and they turn to enter the House. But before Nico could step through the doorway, the Ba that guards the entrance appears.

 _Right_ , Sadie thinks. _Just what does this chicken want now?_

The Ba’s gaze zeroes in on Nico and starts to say something repeatedly in ancient Egyptian. Nico looks like he doesn’t understand what it’s saying, but Sadie can.

“You are not welcome here,” it says in increasing volumes.

Nico looks at Sadie, wide-eyed and confused. She wants to reassure him, to say that this is just some glitch in the system. But she doesn’t understand what’s happening herself.

The Ba is screaming by the time some other magicians arrive. Sadie’s relief turns to dread when they advance to Nico. They shoot sedating and binding spells at him so fast that she just stands frozen in shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAH! You thought I was dead, didn't you? Or _worse_ , I abandoned this again. But nah. I really wanna finish this. So sorry for the late update! Also! Thanks for everyone's support - hits, kudos, comments! I love them all!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I know some of you read TKC a long time ago (like I did) and therefore pretty much have forgotten some details about it (like I have), so feel free to ask about anything and please let me know if things get too confusing! (シ_ _)シ And I think I have to say that the voice in Nico's head isn't someone we have encountered before in the canon. That's the only hint you'll be getting tho.
> 
> Also, as always. I'm really grateful for your support, you guys °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖° Oh, and stay safe!

_What the fuck is happening?_ Sadie thinks as two magicians cast a hovering spell on Nico’s unconscious form and they take him away.

“Sadie,” she hears Carter behind her and she turns to him.

“What are you doing?” She tries her hardest to keep her voice level, despite the anger that’s starting to boil in the pit of her stomach.

“It’s standard protocol, Sadie.” For what it’s worth, he looks a bit ashamed and wouldn’t meet her eyes. He sighs and opens his arms in what she thinks is supposed to placate her. “I’m so sorry, but trespassers have to be apprehended as soon as an alert rings.”

The heat in her gut crawls to her chest, making her breathless. “He isn’t a trespasser. He’s _with me_. He’s part of the House.”

“But the Guardian clearly thinks otherwise.”

“So what?” She says in a voice too shrill even to her own ears. “You trust a screaming chicken over your own sister?”

“Sadie…” She sees his left eye twitch ever-so-slightly. A tic she knows that indicates his rising irritation. “It isn’t that I don’t trust you, but with everything that’s been happening, you can’t be too careful.”

“He’s already confused enough as it is. And the stupid bridge trial took a lot from him, and now you attacked him out of nowhere.”

Sadie jabs at him harshly and Carter retaliates by slapping her hand.

“What would you have me do?” He grits his teeth and an ugly sneer form on his face. “You may be my sister but I have a duty to the House and I have to keep everyone safe. I guess you wouldn’t understand. After all, you don’t have a sense of responsibility.”

She scoffs, “Wow! You’re the one to talk.” The heat now prickles the back of her neck and pools down her cheeks. Her chest grows heavy with her every step towards Carter.

“The House has been in chaos ever since you became pharaoh.” _What am I saying?_

“You can’t even catch a lone ghoul.” _Why am I saying these things?_

“Or stop the riots–” _riots?_ “–that resulted from your incompetence.” _Why can’t I stop?_

She doesn’t see when he drew his sword but she sees his combat avatar start to form. She casts a protection spell just as he swings at her.

And then, as if she lost control of her hand, it draws the glyphs for _Sa-mir_. She grabs it with her other hand but not before it pushes the symbols to Carter.

Sadie only watches her brother fall as his avatar vanishes. Smoke and sparks dance on his writhing body. Some part of her wants to help, wants to drop the spell, but she’s just so angry. She doesn’t fully understand why but her anger is _scorching hot_ now beneath her skin.

Maybe that’s why she didn’t react in time when a wall of fire comes hurtling towards her. She stumbles back and when the fire dies out, Carter charges at her and slams her to the stone wall. She feels a particular jutting stone dig at the base of her head.

She slides down the wall and everything becomes black.

\--

Sadie finds herself in a misty graveyard.

She forgets, for a moment, what happened and when she does, she leans on one of the tombstones by her side. She attacked Carter. And he knocked her out.

_What the fuck?_

It’s been years since they had a fight and never as bad as _that._ Why was she so angry?

Now that she’s away from her brother, she can think clearly again but no matter how much she replayed their exchange, she can’t fathom the reason for the quick escalation of their argument.

She’s been so angry that she said things she didn’t mean. She knows that Carter is doing his best and is actually an _okay_ king.

Sure, he can be condescending at times. And _really,_ it’s as if Sadie couldn’t be responsible in her own right! Besides, Nico is her charge and Carter let him get hurt. And he had the gall to call her irresponsible.

She feels the same heat bubble in her gut. She clenches her fist and takes a deep breath.

 _Still_ , she thinks. She acted… very poorly.

Her musings are cut short when someone calls her name beyond the fog.

Walt, who’s wearing a black kilt and a golden collar, approaches her.

“I know we’re the last ones you want to see,” he says, in lieu of a proper hello.

“Don’t sweat it. I’m over you.” And she is. _Truly_. For the most part, at least. She just can’t help but still feel a little bitter. For all Walt’s insistence that he couldn’t leave Sadie, he still did. And however much Anubis would want to be with her, he’s still a god.

As long as there are people who believe in the Egyptian afterlife, Anubis has duties that bind him to the Underworld. And Walt would die without Anubis. So they both had to go. And Sadie understands that. And she’s moved on.

 _See?_ She can be mature.

“So why did you summon me here?” She asks, desperate to feel less awkward.

He’s staring at her. Specifically, at her chest. She huffs. “Hey. My eyes are up here, pal.”

Walt – Anubis? – raises a hand and hovers it over her front, which glowed. Glyphs appear and she immediately recognizes it.

 _Isfet_. Chaos.

The god – because yeah, she’s sure that it’s Anubis now – drops his hand and the glyphs disappear.

“Wha– who..?” She fails to form complete sentences since she doesn’t know what to ask first. _Who put that there? What does that mean? Is Apophis coming back?_

She shakes her head and she feels small trembles down her spine. It can’t be, can it? It’s impossible. They were told that it’d take millennia before Apophis can rise again.

Anubis grabs her shoulders and she meets his eyes. “It isn’t him. His prison in the Duat is quiet as it has been for the past two years.”

“Well, who else could it possibly be? No magician can ever write it. Set wouldn’t dare to, as would other gods.”

Anubis purses his lips. “It could be Setne. He has the Book of Thot and it wouldn’t surprise me that there’s knowledge of chaos magic in there that’s been long lost.”

He has a point. She groans, _that stupid ghoul_. At least now she has an idea why both Kanes went berserk. Maybe Carter is spelled too. It also explains his paranoia.

“You should talk to my mother about getting rid of it.”

“Right. Get rid of the spell, find Setne or whoever did this, and then reconcile with Carter.” She says that last part mostly to herself. And then she asks, “Anything else?”

He sweeps a hand through his hair and turns away. He sighs, “I hate to add more to your problems but that isn’t actually why I called you here.”

Sadie rolls her eyes. _Of course_. “So what is it then?”

“The House isn’t the only thing that’s in disarray. The gods are frantic about… an interloper.”

_Is he talking about Nico?_

“I can’t tell you much,” he continues, “even if I did, you won’t be able to retain it to your memory for long. However, I can tell you that there is someone unwelcome that has step foot in the House. Horus has tried to chase them away but it seems it didn’t work.”

So definitely Nico, then.

“And you want me to what? Find them and kill them?”

Anubis shakes his head. “That would only bring war. I want you to bring them to me so that I can bring them back to where they came from.”

“Why you?”

He shrugs, “I’m one of the few ones that are in good terms with his kind.”

Sadie raises an eyebrow at that but doesn’t ask. “And I take it I’m working on a deadline.”

“As soon as possible is the most preferable but you have until the summer solstice. You should get rid of the chaos magic on you though. Or else the situation would only get worse.”

“Okay. Is there more?”

He opens his mouth and closes it a few times until he decides on, “I miss you.”

A lump forms at the back of her throat and she tries to push it down with all the spit she could muster. “Yeah.” She clicks her tongue. “Me too.”

“I’m so sorry.”

She waves him off. “As I said, I’m over you. So if there’s nothing else, I’d like to wake up now.”

He gives her a small, sad smile. “See you soon, Sadie. Stay safe.”

Sadie blinks and wakes up to the smell of vanilla and soft cotton on her cheeks. She’s at the infirmary. She sits up and her head throbs so she drops it onto her knees.

She breathes in and out a few times and when nausea becomes bearable, she sets off to find her brother.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Er, yes. I have nothing to say for myself. Just. Yeah. Enjoy. 
> 
> Oh and, I appreciate you.

Carter has forgotten the last time he had a quiet evening.

Here he is, gritting his teeth through yet another complaint. The middle-aged woman before him is the Nome leader of the Tokyo House. The attack on the Two Hundred and Thirty-Fourth Nome is the seventeenth attack this week alone.

Yeah, no one is happy with him.

“I don’t understand how the House can just stand by and let _a child_ rule,” the Nome leader spits.

The pharaoh clenches his fist and pushes down the frustrated scream that’s been desperate to be let out for months now.

He’s doing the best he can but he never seems to make the right choice. He would order a lockdown and the Nomes protest and call him paranoid. He would do curfews and other precautionary laws and they call him a controlling dictator. He would let them go about their way and then they blame him when something goes wrong.

The beginning of his reign wasn’t so bad. He guesses that that’s because of the respect he earned by stopping an apocalypse. Then everyone, including him, soon realized he’s not cut out for this.

Carter lost the respect of his peers. Everything he wanted to do to make the House better is met with resistance. There even had been riots around the world. And he knows for sure that those small groups actively trying to oppose him are starting to get bigger and he will have a mutiny in his hands soon.

He misses his life before all this.

Sure, he’s met Zia and his uncle. He’s found a brand new fantastical world beneath the norm. However, he also lost his father. And, if he isn’t careful, he could also lose Sadie.

He sighs. Carter didn’t want to capture Nico. And he didn’t want to fight Sadie so soon after that. What was he supposed to do? He can’t let a potentially dangerous person run wild and under no supervision.

But he has to admit, he went a little too far with Sadie. Carter didn’t know what happened. All he can remember was the heat and the compulsion to hurt. The last time he felt that intensely was when he was hosting the war god.

At the moment, while the Nome leader is still talking – she’s moved on to the Chief Lector’s incompetence, now – it’s taking all of Carter to resist the urge to wring her neck.

He raises a hand to stop her tirade, “I do not appreciate you bad-mouthing my uncle, Kinoshita-san. And complaining about us doesn’t solve the problem in our hands.”

She harrumphs and crosses her arms. “It’s been months. When will we see action?”

“There have been steps taken—”

“Clearly, they’re not working.”

That’s the final straw. He feels his lip curl but before he could berate the woman, Amos comes in and gives him a pointed look.

“Kinoshita-san, perhaps it’s best we continue this tomorrow?” His uncle addresses the Nome leader. “It’s getting late and I’m sure your House misses you.”

With a short puff out her nose, she turns. “See you then, Chief Lector.”

Carter bristles at her acquiescence to his uncle. Sure it was not without reluctance but she still did what his uncle has asked. _He_ is the king here, dammit. Not Amos.

He feels a hand on his shoulder. As he sees his uncle’s concerned look, he unclenches his jaw and bows down in shame. _I’m being unfair_ , he thinks. _I should be grateful for my uncle._

“I think sleep is in order,” Amos says. “I’ll wake you up if anything comes up.”

Carter nods and stands up wordlessly. He doesn’t have enough energy nor will to argue. He drags his feet to his room and succumbs in a dreamless sleep.

\--

Come morning, he wakes to Sadie and Amos sitting on the lounge outside his room. The smell of tea and breakfast permeates the air. It’s as if he woke up to some sort of parody of his first morning as a magician.

He sits down across Sadie who looks like she hasn’t slept much. The bags under her eyes are dark as ever. Carter’s mouth dries as he remembers what happened yesterday. Her eyes meet his, her lips pursed. She opens her mouth to say something, then changes her mind and looks away.

Apologies aren’t spoken between the two of them. They’ve always been stubborn and prideful, but they know they didn’t mean to hurt the other. At least, Carter knows this of his sister and he can only hope she thinks the same way of him.

“You have to let Nico go,” Sadie says instead.

He breathes in deeply, “Sadie…”

“I had a dream, okay? And fine, you were right. He isn’t supposed to be here. But I’m _also right_ because we’re supposed to help him.”

“Help him how?”

“We have to bring him to Anubis.”

Carter raises an eyebrow, “Just like that? And what? He’ll deal with Nico?”

“Yeah. I don’t know.” She throws her hands in the air. “Anubis wasn’t forthcoming with information, alright? He said I wouldn’t have remembered it anyway.”

“That’s correct,” their uncle supplies. “Remember when I told you about the other gods residing on the other side of the East River?”

 _Vaguely_ , Carter thinks. A memory flashes before his eyes: an image of a flying horse around the Empire State Building. He tries to remember more but he can’t.

“Are you saying that _other gods_ exist?” Sadie asks.

“Yes. And that this isn’t the first time we talked about them.”

“How come you get to remember them?”

“This kid of information is on a need-to-know basis.”

“But don’t _we_ need to know? Carter is the pharaoh and I’m a Sem Priestess, whose Nome is very much close to these other gods. Shouldn’t we know who we’re up against?”

“They are not our enemy, Sadie. We are at peace with the other pantheons. There hasn’t been any reason for the leaders of the House to know.”

“Then why do _you_ know of them?” Carter asks, prickling heat starts at the base of his neck. Irritation for his uncle rises yet again.

“We’re not _children_ , Uncle Amos. Despite what you and the others like to think. You can tell us.”

Amos kisses his teeth and looks back and forth between Carter and Sadie. “Julius… Your father. While he was on the run, he traveled through the Duat for so many times.”

He pauses at the mention of their father as if he’s expecting them to break down at the mere mention of his name. It’s been four years. Of course, the death of their parents still stings, but they both had to grow up. And _they have_. They don’t need everyone’s condescension.

“And you have to know,” Amos cuts off Carter’s internal struggle, “that all the pantheons’ underworlds are connected.”

“All of them?”

“Every underworld there is, that had been, and that will be,” his uncle nods. “Your father managed to get himself to one. And since I was tasked to bring him in, I followed. Good thing that the Greeks were at war then and so, Hades was busy. Thanatos found us and led us back to Egyptian territory.” He chuckles and settles in a sad smile, “Death has always been kind.”

He clears his throat and shakes his head, “I don’t know much about the other pantheons, mind you. Not even the Grecian. We appealed to Thanatos and he let us remember. Just in case we found ourselves in the Greek underworld again, he said. All I know is there are other gods and the detail about the underworlds. I picked up a few things here and there, but nothing really substantial.”

“That’s it? That doesn’t help us, does it?” Sadie groans.

Amos shrugs, “Carter asked.”

“Hang on, if gods have the power to make us remember then how come Anubis wouldn’t just let me?”

“It doesn’t work that way, Sadie. Permission must be granted by a god from the pantheon you wish to remember.”

“That’s such a shite rule.”

“While I agree, there have to be rules between pantheons for them to be able to coexist. Which brings us the to matter of the boy.”

 _Right_.

“So, the harsh title of ‘interloper’ just means that Nico isn’t Egyptian, right?”

“Sadie…” Carter admonishes.

“What? That’s what Anubis called him. And that stupid chicken head kept on screaming that Nico’s unwelcome. Horus tried to kill him. And you,” she points at his face, “knocked him out and locked him in a smelly cell. You’ve got to admit that the punishment doesn’t fit the crime.”

“Sadie,” Amos says more firmly. “Your brother had no way to know. He acted as he was supposed to. The only thing we can hope is that whichever pantheon Nico belongs, their gods wouldn’t take insult.”

“We shouldn’t keep them waiting, then.” Carter slaps his hands once and stands up. The sooner they get Nico to Anubis, the sooner he can resume his other duties.

“Er, Carter,” Sadie stops him from going out the door. “Before that, we also should go see Nephthys.”

 _Great,_ he thinks. _More work. I guess Kinoshita-san would have to wait._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Carter. Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. Also, am I the only one who finds it weird that the Per Ankh (who has shown distaste against the Kanes in the past) has easily accepted their rule? A ruling, I should add, appointed by a god (another big hate of the House)? Yeah. So there's that. I used that as conflict. Yay.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope I haven't lost you guys because of the less and less frequent updates. Gah. Anyway, you guys still remember the Throne of Fire? Yeah, me neither. LMAO. 
> 
> **TW:** a panic attack happens. Just a slight description by an outsider rather than how it feels. 
> 
> PS. Stay safe and you're beautiful. ♡ ～ (´ ▽`人)

Carter sneaks another glance to the boy beside him.

When they got him out of his cell, Nico di Angelo just shrugged and told them it was fine. When Sadie filled him in with what they’re set to do, he nodded and told them okay.

The kid could have fooled him into thinking that he’s nonchalant to all that’s happening to him.

However, Carter can see the tell-tale signs of agitation. Even though Nico kept his head down, his eyes still shift to and fro too quickly. His hands are fidgety to a point that he’s kept them in his pockets just so they would stop.

Carter wants to comfort the boy, but people have never been his strongest suit. He has failed as a leader, he’s failed as a brother, and he’s failed as a son.

The least he could do is apologize but, like with Sadie, he isn’t able to. Since when has pride become his priority?

Carter looks away and examines the expanse of the Nile River. The usually-calm waters smash against rocks. Froth baubles, drowning his thoughts.

“What is it that you want now, magicians?”

Nephthys rises from the depths. Her blue skin is patched with red. Her kind eyes and gentle smile are replaced with a glare and a snarl.

“We were told to ask for your help, my lady,” Sadie says. “Something about the Chaos magic that’s been done to us.”

“And judging by your appearance,” Carter adds, “to you.”

The goddess glides until she’s nose-to-nose with Carter, who’s shocked but doesn’t back down.

“Someone has polluted not only the Nile but the magic within the Earth with Chaos. Care to explain, _king_?”

Carter shakes off the annoyance at the taunt. “We still don’t know who’s responsible but we’re looking into it. But to get any further, we have to be clear-headed. That’s why we need your help, my lady.”

“This…” Nephthys lowers herself to the water, “…is not something that can be easily washed out.”

Then she sheds big, fat tears. The river becomes more tumultuous and the banks become flooded. She wails as she becomes smaller and smaller, becoming one with the river once again.

He looks at Sadie, who produced a small basin to catch her tears. He must have made a face because she rolls her eyes. “The tears of the goddess of lamentation must be worth something doesn’t it?”

The Nile returns to its initial condition and Nephthys reappears before them. Stoic and cold, she says, “Take my tears to the Mistress of Pure Water and have her bless it with the flames from the Lake. It won’t be as potent as the waters from Ma’at but it would have to do.”

And with that, the goddess lets the river take her away.

“Mistress of Pure Water?” Sadie asks him. “Any ideas who that is, Mr. Encyclopedia?”

“Tawaret,” Carter answers plainly, ignoring his sister’s quip. “I guess we’re hitching a ride with Ra.”

\--

The First House of Night looks nothing like the first time Carter was here.

From the purple swirling vortex, they step into a city with rows of colorful buildings separated by a large canal. Gondolas are docked by the narrow streets and bright lanterns make the water glitter.

The currents of the Duat sift through one’s memories so that it can make sense of what it looks like. So why…

“Venice?” Sadie asks, an eyebrow raised at him.

“Don’t look at me, I haven’t been to Venice before.”

They both turn to Nico, who is now doubled over. His hands clench and unclench, their heels digging on his temples.

Sadie lays a hand on his shoulder. “What is it? Are you remembering something?”

“I—” Nico chokes on his spit. It takes a few moments before he straightens his back again. “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

“Hey, none of that. All of these,” Sadie gestures to, well, everything, “must be a clue to who you are. While that’s a good thing, you shouldn’t force yourself into remembering.”

“Could this mean that I’m from Venice?”

“Well, ‘di Angelo’ doesn’t sound American. So, possibly.”

“I just wish…” Nico wrings his hands. “I wish I could remember more. I wouldn’t have inconvenienced you then. Obviously, you have a lot on your plate right now and I’m just here making things more complicated.”

This has been the most that the kid has spoken ever since Carter met him. And it makes guilt gnaw inside him.

“Sadie is right.”

Nico looks at him with wide-eyes. And dammit why did Carter need to be such a jerk to him?

“You don’t have to force yourself. It would indeed have been easier if we know who you are, but convenience shouldn’t be at the expense of yourself. We’re getting by, aren’t we?”

Nico blinks and then bows his head. “Okay. Thank you for understanding.”

Carter nods.

“Glad that’s out of the way.” Sadie slaps both of their shoulders. “Because I think I see Ra’s Sun Boat.”

As luck would have it, Ra is gone to who-knows-where. This is a good thing because even though Nephthys has just ignored Nico, Carter isn’t sure that the King of Egyptian Gods would react as well upon seeing Nico.

Carter summons a crew and floating balls of light start to prepare the boat for sail. Expectedly, they express their displeasure towards Nico but with only a few words (see: threats) from Sadie, they settle to a silent obeisance.

They sail through the Second and Third Houses smoothly.

Then they reach the River of Fire.

Everything is brighter than the sun and it sure as hell feels like it too. But then cold starts to creep on Carter and their shadows seem to grow longer.

He surveys his companions. Sadie must have started feeling it too as their eyes met. Carter then looks at Nico. The boy seems trembling. His gaze is far-away, pupils like pin-pricked inks. The shadows cling on him like a cloak protecting him from an unseen enemy.

“Nico,” Sadie says, “Whatever you’re seeing, it isn’t real. You’re with us. You’re safe.”

Carter lets Sadie calm Nico and backs off. He doesn’t want to overwhelm him. Instead, he focuses on stirring the ship. Carter tries his hardest to keep the jolting to a minimum. And when it’s time for them to fall, he softens the impact.

He can’t protect them from the burning though. Everyone screams. And Carter hates this part so much.

They reemerge from the flames, renewed and reinvigorated. Carter feels like he just got back all the sleep he was owed. Sadie comes out of the deckhouse, where Nico is most probably in.

“Nico doesn’t have to come out, does he?” Sadie turns the boat to the Fourth House’s port. “He can rest for a bit while we talk to Tawaret.”

He files this experience to his _to-be-discussed_ list and says, “Of course.”

\--

Carter remembers Bes’s promise to himself. And while there aren’t any baby dwarf-hippo babies running around, their place by the lake looks cozy. Although, a wooden cabin wouldn’t have been Carter’s first choice of housing by the Lake of Fire.

Despite that Bes isn’t around to help convince the goddess, Tawaret is more than happy to help them and blesses Nephthys's tears in no time.

“Oh, goodness me. That feels like straight out of the Sea of Chaos.” She points out as she hands them the tears. “This won’t completely wash it off. Only the water from Ma’at can fully counteract its effects.”

“Nephthys did mention that,” Carter replies.

“Oh, how is dear Nephy doing? The Nile and the Earth are touched by Chaos, you say?”

“She’s… become a bit hostile.”

“That’s terrible!” She mutters to herself, “Maybe I should ask her and Geb to stay in the Acres for a while. Until it’s all sorted out. Perhaps Nut too, just to be careful.”

“That’s a great idea, my lady,” Sadie says.

“Anyway,” Tawaret waves her hand, “just drink up the water and you’ll feel a lot better. There should be enough for both of you.”

And that, they did. Carter expected it to be hot and salty rather than being cool and sweet like a chocolate mint shake. He immediately felt lighter; like he can breathe easier. It’s like having his first cup of coffee in the morning. He becomes more focused and has obtained a sense of clarity.

“I can’t express my gratitude enough, my lady,” Carter says, a bit teary-eyed because this feels like the first success he’s had in a long time. _He really needed this win_.

“But as I said, this is only temporary. I can only bless you _some_ good luck on your quest for peace.”

“That’s more than enough, my lady. Thank you again.”

“Anything for my favorite mortals,” she winks at them. Then she pushes them to the door, “Best be going you two. The fourth hour is almost up and betting against the moon god once is enough.”

With a final goodbye, they get on the boat and continued their journey. They go through the Fifth and Sixth Houses without a hitch. When they reach the Seventh House, Sadie goes to get Nico.

Carter motions the boat to a full stop in front of the House of Osiris and waits for the other two.

However, only Sadie comes out and she says, “Nico’s gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk what I'm doing anymore tbh.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? An update? Within the week of the last one? What? Well, I have written this way before the last one so-- Here ya go. Take it from me.
> 
> PS. You matter. ヾ( ์ ω ์ )b

Nico hates waiting.

Well, maybe not. He hates waiting alone. He hates being alone. For as long as he knows himself – given, it’s short – he knows this.

He hates being alone on a boat that hates him, in the middle of a scorching fire lake. Even the voice in his head is away. Ever since they went on this quest, K hasn’t said a word. Nico tried prodding him, insulting him, but he stayed quiet.

He hates hating being here.

He hates that he can’t look out the boat for long. The dancing fire makes his throat constrict and his breathing goes thin. His hands shake and his eyes water. His body remembers something his mind doesn’t.

It isn’t like the fire is going to hurt him. It can even heal him if need be. So why does he feel so afraid?

He remembers burning. So much burning. Flames licking his body, running down his throat. He vaguely remembers drinking fire, very much like the fire below.

Nico hugs his knees and puts his head on them. He steadies his breath and he waits.

He doesn’t know how long it’s been but he looks up when he feels the boat lurch.

“Hey,” he says to no one. Sadie and Carter still haven’t made it back and the boat is already moving forward.

“Hey!” He says more loudly. He comes out of the deckhouse, keeping his head down. Everything is too bright, too hot.

He stomps for good measure. “We’re not supposed to go yet.”

The oars rattle against the sides and the wood groans as if the boat is mocking him.

“Why you–” Nico runs up the bow and casts a tying spell that Sadie taught him in case this happens. Ropes wrap around the hull, their ends tie around the boulders ashore.

The boat strains until the ropes give. The stern suddenly tips forward. Nico loses his footing and dives headfirst into the fire.

Heat surrounds him and for a second, it doesn’t register to him what happened. The moment it does, he flails around and tries to… swim? _Just get to the surface_ , he tells himself.

He breaks for air but he gets caught in the current of the drainage and into the rapids. He scratches his palms as he tries to grab unto the rocks.

And then he falls.

\--

He is hoisted half-way up and his feet drag on gravel. There are arms around him and chilly breath kisses his nape. Anything feels cold compared to the depths he was in.

That sobers him up. He clambers out of the hold of the stranger. He falls on his side but he crawls, desperate to go further away.

“No harm will befall you,” a deep, quiet voice says. “I only wish to help you.”

Nico focuses on the owner of the voice. The woman before him has a sharp nose and jaw. Her dark hair is on a bun with a few small curls falling down her eyes, a crown of leaves is on just above her brow. She’s wearing white robes and brown sandals, golden bracelets on either of her arms. He sees a frowning, white mask and a dagger strapped on a belt around her middle.

“I was on my way to see my nephew by the Styx when I saw you floating on the Phlegethon,” she explains, her voice calming and soothing like a lullaby. “It connects to Tartarus, you understand? I had to carry you away. May I ask what happened?”

“I-I-I…” Nico thinks back, remembers where he was and why he’s now here. “I fell.”

“Oh, you poor thing.” She tilts her head as she observes him. “You don’t look, sound, nor feel dead, so I’m assuming you’re here on a quest?”

“Um.” He isn’t sure he should tell her about why he’s in the Underworld. For all he knows, she’s a trickster demon out for blood.

“Where are my manners,” she lightly slaps her forehead, “I have yet to introduce myself. My name is Melpomene, Muse of tragedy.”

She looks at him for any sign of recognition. Nico belatedly realizes that he is, in fact, in the presence of another goddess.

“I’m sorry, my lady,” he immediately amends. He really doesn’t want another god to be angry at him. “For not recognizing you.”

She waves her hand, “Not to worry. Most don’t remember me anyway. Granted, they know the Muses, but never a particular one.”

“To be fair, I don’t remember anything besides the past couple of days.” He really should learn to keep his mouth shut.

“Oh! You’ve lost your memories. You’re on a quest to retrieve them, then?”

“Er… sure.” In a way, he is. He looks around to take in his surroundings. The river is just a few steps from them. On the other side is a line of never-ending wall with barbed wires on top. He faintly hears screams coming behind it. On the side of where they are is a field that grows waist-high, grey-colored grass.

Just where the fuck is he?

She hums, grabbing his attention again. “Gods aren’t supposed to actively help someone on a quest like they used to do in the olden days. But maybe I can nudge you to the right path just a little.”

“My lady?”

“My mother is the Titaness of Memory. Despite that, none but few can remember where she dwells. I happen to be one of them.” She smiles.

He weighs his options. On the one hand, he can follow along the river of fire. However, he’s not sure which way he’s been and how long he has floated on it. The river seems standstill and stretches beyond the horizon. With one wrong turn, he could go further from his companions.

On the other, the goddess has given him a direction. Sure she could be leading him to a trap, but somehow… it feels like she isn’t. The sadness behind the determination on her eyes makes Nico believe that her intentions to help are genuine.

“What’s in it for you?” He still asks, to be sure.

“Tragedy makes for a good story, but I only wish it for songs and epics, never for anyone. I want to help if I could, nothing more.”

Her answer pushes back the doubt in his mind. He nods. “Okay, where can I find her?”

\--

They walk until he’s sore. Nico doesn’t know how far they’ve gone or for how long. It doesn’t matter anyway, he thinks. The Spirit World is on some sort of a higher dimension. Time flows differently and space is malleable to some extent.

He thinks back to the First House. Venice. His home, he supposes. What keeps him going is the possibility to remember more. He wants to remember what it feels like to be held by his mother, not just the soft melody he thinks she used to sing to him. He wants to remember his sister and if she still wears that floppy, hideously-colored green hat.

He wants to remember his way back home. He wants to come home.

The way has come to a hike and with protesting limbs, he keeps up. The forest grows denser and fog envelops their legs.

Nico is just about to doubt the goddess again when they come to a pool filled with black water; a small, winding shack beside it.

“This is as far as I go,” the goddess tells him. “You know how mothers are, you can never please them. And well, she hates that I work at Olympus.”

She rolls her eyes and then turns sheepish, “I guess you wouldn’t. I’m sorry for being insensitive.”

“It’s alright, my lady. Thank you for bringing me here.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Finding Mnemosyne is one thing, convincing her to help is another. Good luck to you, demigod. I hope we meet again.”

 _Demigod?_ “What—”

But before he could ask what she meant by that, she starts to glow. He looks away and when he looks back, she’s gone.

He gulps what little spit he has and enters the shack.

Inside is much bigger than the outside. He can’t even see the roof. There is a series of tall bookshelves that seem to go on forever. The room is dimly illuminated, mostly by the lamps on the reading desks lined in the middle. It smells of old books and wood-polish. Dust permeates the air, making it feel thick and stuffy.

Someone clears their throat.

Nico turns to see a woman with luminous white skin and robes. Her hair is grey and wavy that reaches to her shoulders. Words of different languages mark her skin and clothing.

She says, “Ah. I thought your father has forbidden you from coming back here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh! I've deleted the crappier version of this from fanfiction.net. Sadly, I can't delete my account (like wtf). Gods, I just really want to forget all about it *shivers* If any of you FFN users see it up again, please tell me bc it ain't me. Thanks! Also, I hope you liked this chapter! The next one will be ( ಠ ͜ʖಠ)

**Author's Note:**

> Updates sporadically but has every intention of finishing (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧


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